2. Introduction
The Akosombo is a hydroelectric dam on the volta river in
southeastern
Ghana in the Akosombo gorge and part of the Volta River
Authority.
The primary purpose of Akosombo dam was to provide electrcity
for the aluminium industry. The dam was called the largest
single investment in the economic development plans of
ghana. Its original electrical output was 912 MW in a retrofit
project that was completed in 2006
3. History
The dam was conceived in 1915 by geologist
Albert Ernest Kitson, but no plans were drawn
until 1940s. The develpoment of Volta river
basin was proposed in 1949 but because but
there was not sufficient funds, the American
company Votla Almunium Company (Valco)
loaned money to Ghana so that the dam could
be constructed. Kwame Nkrumah adopted the
Volta River hydropower project.